Fantasy and science fiction novels dominate the nominations list for this year’s YA Book Prize 2017, with half the books on the list being genre related in some way.

The list includes Malorie Blackman’s Chasing the Stars, a sci-fi retelling of Othello, and Horrid Henry creator Francesca Simon’s The Monstrous Child, a modern twist on Norse mythology. Both of these authors are well established, and Blackman is a former children’s laureate.

Other genre books include supernatural abduction horror (and STARBURST favourite) The Call by Peadar O’Guilin and Alex Wheatle’s Crongtom Knights, an urban fantasy adventure. Also shortlisted is The Graces, a dark thriller about a mysterious family who are rumoured to be witches.

The £2,000 prize will be presented at a ceremony during the Hay Festival on June 1st. The judges include book bloggers, academics, previous winners and industry professionals. The prize is open to all YA titles published in print form in the UK or Ireland between January 1st, 2016 and December 31st, 2016. The author or authors must have been living in the UK or Ireland for at least six months prior to publication.